Ljubica Caldovic
About Ljubica Caldovic
Ljubica Caldovic is an Associate Research Professor of Integrative Systems Biology at George Washington University and a Principal Investigator at Children's National Medical Center. She specializes in utilizing systems biology and molecular biology to investigate metabolic disorders, particularly focusing on hyperammonemia and liver failure treatments.
Work at Children's National Medical Center
Ljubica Caldovic has been serving as Principal Investigator at Children's National Medical Center since 2004, marking a 20-year tenure in Washington, DC. In this role, she leads research initiatives focused on metabolic disorders, particularly those related to hyperammonemia. Her work utilizes a NAGS knockout mouse model to explore the condition's effects on the brain. Prior to her current position, she worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the same institution from 2000 to 2004.
Work at The George Washington University
Since 2010, Ljubica Caldovic has held the position of Associate Research Professor of Integrative Systems Biology at The George Washington University in Washington, DC. In this capacity, she integrates systems biology with molecular biology and bioinformatics to investigate metabolic disorders. Previously, she served as an Assistant Professor at the university from 2004 to 2010.
Education and Expertise
Ljubica Caldovic earned her Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Chemistry from the University of Belgrade from 1984 to 1988. She furthered her education at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, where she obtained a Ph.D. in Genetics and Molecular Biology from 1989 to 1997. Additionally, she participated in the Complex Systems Summer School at the Santa Fe Institute in 1996.
Research Focus and Achievements
Ljubica Caldovic's research primarily aims to develop treatments for liver failure and other inborn errors of metabolism, extending beyond traditional urea cycle disorders. She has developed a zebrafish model to study hyperammonemia, which is utilized for screening potential neuroprotective drugs. Her work also emphasizes identifying molecular targets to enhance the expression of urea cycle enzymes in patients with partial defects.
Previous Academic Positions
Before her current roles, Ljubica Caldovic worked at the University of Minnesota as a Postdoctoral Fellow from 1997 to 2000. This experience contributed to her expertise in genetics and molecular biology, laying the groundwork for her subsequent research endeavors.